Taxi driver licensing in Istanbul
Challenge
In Istanbul, Taxi drivers must have a “Public Transport Vehicle Usage Certificate” issued by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB) in order to operate a taxi in the city.
However, IBB has received numerous complaints of unregulated taxis circulating in the city. The issue is also linked to security as it endangers taxi drivers, passengers and, ultimately, traffic safety. Ensuring the enforcement of the system will increase the safety of passengers of both citizens and tourists. IBB is looking for technological solutions to prevent such violations of the system and for implementation for new / improved systems for the taxi driver license enforcement.
CURRENT SITUATION
The solution should meet at least one of the following objectives:
- To develop technological solutions to prevent violations of the taxi license system.
- Increase the number of licensed taxi drivers
- To monitor continuously taxi driver licensing
- To reduce the usage of private cars
The solution should target at least one of the following impacts:
- Healthy and reliable operation
- Increase in passenger satisfaction
- Increase passenger safety
- Development of solutions for unlicensed taxis with technologies including Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine learning (ML) when integrated with smartphones (apps).
- Preference for software-based (app.based) approaches that can easily be implemented on smartphones and offer massive scalability at low cost.
Solution
TEXINSIGHT has developed a cutting-edge technology called “Newky”, also known as the “digital key of physical world”. Newky represents a revolutionary step forward for security technology in mobility, utilising cutting-edge encryption and AI-based computer vision to create a safe and secure digital key for drivers and users. By utilising Bluetooth and Wi-Fi technology, Newky connects users with vehicles or other devices, providing them with a secure digital key that can be accessed via their mobile phones. This connection is also secured by Newky’s encryption system, providing an additional layer of protection for users. In Istanbul, Newky is used to verify the driver’s authorisation and shares this information with the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and passengers. Micro-mobility apps, car-sharing apps, and bus/truck fleets are exploring the use of Newky to increase security levels for individuals, companies, and public authorities.
Results
•Tested with two taxis, two drivers, and two passengers in Istanbul.
•The authorized driver had the opportunity to verify themself, but the unauthorised driver couldn’t verify themselves and notifications were shown on the screen in the taxis.
•The passengers had the chance to see if the driver was authorized or not, by the QR codes in taxis.
•The level of security and tracking has been increased noticeably.
